GOP Presidential candidates finally visit fire-ravaged Southern California - to raise campaign cash.

Interesting article passed along to me...



posted by Andrew Drabkin

October 26, 2007 at 3:43 PM


From Brian Brokaw:


Better late than never, right? The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that while the Democratic presidential candidates have weighed in with monetary donations, messages of support and have urged Californians to offer assistance to the fire victims, the top-tier GOP wannabes haven't said or done a thing.


All political calculations aside (but seriously, aren't these guys somewhat interested in competing for votes in the Golden State?), the Republicans' silence on the issue seems to indicate an overall lack of human touch. While they may not be interested in assisting with the relief efforts, how difficult is it to at least issue a press release in support of the firefighters or to offer condolences to the many Californians whose lives have been impacted by the fires?


Today we learned that two of the Republican candidates will in fact be visiting California. Both John McCain, whose home state borders Southern California, and Fred Thompson are scheduled to make stops in the Golden State over the next few days… to raise money for their struggling campaigns.


McCain is doing his part to help out by raising campaign cash in Beverly Hills Friday night, according to Politico. Says Politico, "[McCain's] campaign defended its decision by saying there is no direct threat to Beverly Hills arguing that it would be different if they were raising cash near San Diego or in Malibu, where the fires are blazing." Something tells me that when the reporter asked whether it was appropriate to raise money in the southland as the fires ravage, he wasn't asking whether or not Team McCain was afraid that the fundraiser location would catch fire.


Just today, Fred Thompson announced he is postponing one of his eight California fundraisers scheduled for early next week, the event planned in Rancho Santa Fe. Perhaps Thompson made this move out of respect. Or perhaps his advance team simply provided him with this fire map.


As you can see, hosting a fundraiser in a locale where much of the area is still evacuated would have posed somewhat of a logistical quandary, not to mention a political one.


And I wonder how the GOP candidates did in fundraising in California...